Who stands to benefit from posterior chain focused training?
You…and anyone else determined to improve athletic performance and reduce the chance of injury.

What is the posterior chain?
‘Posterior chain’ is a term used to describe a complex connection of muscles, tendons, and ligaments located on the dorsal or posterior portion of the body. Some components of the posterior chain include ankle plantar flexors (ie.gastrocnemius ), knee flexors (ie. biceps femoris), hip extensors (ie. gluteus maximus), lumbar erectors (erector spinae), scapular retractors (ie. rhomboids), and shoulder abductors (ie. posterior deltoids).

Why is it important to train the posterior chain?
The posterior chain has to be trained if you are serious about athletic performance that is contingent upon running, skating, jumping or other horizontal / vertical translations. If you are able to critically examine many explosive athletic movements it will become overtly clear that these movements are driven by a strong and efficient posterior chain. The reality is that many of us look in the mirror and see quadriceps, abdominals and pectorals; and to an extent, our training is influenced by what we see in the mirror. The problem is, what we are not able to see in the mirror (posterior chain) is really what will dictate athletic performance to a large extent.

When should posterior training be addressed?
There is no general answer regarding when to include posterior chain training into your training regime. Your athletic event and level of training will dictate the frequency of training. You can begin by including 3-5 posterior chain exercises into your training plan once to twice a week.

What exercise can I do to strengthen my posterior chain?
There are many exercises to improve posterior chain strength and power. A few are listed below:

• Reverse hyperextension
• Dead lifts
• Supine single leg stability ball hamstring curl
• Power cleans
• Supine hip extension

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